Second Chances
by ZimFan21
Summary: It was morning in Roanapur, and the great Revy Two-Hands was hunched over in the bathroom hurling her guts out. It was a ritual she was all too familiar with, waking up in the morning only to discover that her body had decided it had had its limit with the liquor. Only this time, it wasn't due to drinking. M for language.
1. Chapter 1: Morning in Roanapur

**Chapter 1: Morning in Roanapur**

Blood. That heavy, metallic scent was always there. It was a smell she was familiar with, a smell she had adopted, a smell she was used to. Except for now. It was morning in Roanapur, and the great Revy Two-Hands was hunched over in the bathroom hurling her guts out. It was a ritual she was all too familiar with, waking up in the morning only to discover that her body had decided it had had its limit with the liquor, only this time, it wasn't due to drinking.

In fact, Revy had noticed that lately she hadn't been able to keep any alcohol down. It was almost like her body was rejecting the booze. To her displeasure, she had decided to just give up on drinking altogether. Of course her co-workers hadn't failed to take notice. Dutch and Benny had even started growing concerned that maybe their top gunman was malfunctioning. But no, she hadn't lost her edge, and it wasn't liquor that was making her sick. The smell of blood on her cutlass from the previous night's mission had been enough to make her stomach turn. She simply couldn't understand it. Never in her shit-fest of a life has the smell of blood bothered her. Most of the time it had the opposite effect. Trying to figure out what was the hell was wrong, she remained there, hunched over the toilet bowl as wave after wave of nausea crept over her.

"Fuck," growled Revy. "What the fuck is wrong with me?"

She slammed her fist down in anger. The truth of the matter was that she knew damn well what was wrong with her, but she continued to cling to denial.

"This can't be fucking happening. This is all that bastard's fault!"

Suddenly a mood change swept over her. Feeling helpless, she desperately struggled to fight back the surge of emotions that threatened to come forth. She would not cry. Even if her hormones were causing her body to go wild, she refused to shed a single tear.

It was no use. She lost the battle with herself. Ashamed at her own weakness, she fell to her hands and knees as a few tears started flowing. She tried not to show it, but she was scared. If anyone in the city discovered her secret she was as good as dead. Every bastard who owned a gun would be scrambling to take her down while she was vulnerable just to make a name for themselves. Her hands clenched into fists as her fear was replaced with anger and frustration.

"This is all Rock's fucking fault!"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and an all too familiar voice followed it. "Revy, are you in there?"

Revy's ears perked up and her eyes grew wide as she picked up the faint click of the door handle turning open. She shot up and immediately grabbed her cutlass.

"Hey Revy, we were all wondering why you disappeared so early yesterday from the Yellow Fla..." Rock was cut off abruptly as an emotionally unstable Revy punched him square in the face, knocking him over onto her bed. Dazed, he tried to sit back up, but only to have her force him back down with her firearm jammed into his skull.

"Revy, what the hell?"

"SHUT UP!" Revy shouted as she shoved her cutlass even harder against his head. Rock did as he was told. He was confused. What had her so upset? He looked up to read her expression, but what he saw put him at a loss for words.

She was a wreck. He could tell she had been crying, but her eyes told him she looked more afraid than angry. He felt her hand shaking with the gun aimed at his forehead. It was clear she wasn't angry with him. She was scared.

"Revy..." he tried speaking as calmly as possible. He was concerned about her. He wanted to help her.

"I said SHUT UP you fucking asshole!" Revy tried sounding tough, but Rock could detect the cracks in her voice. He was prepared to call her bluff.

"Fine Revy, you want to shoot me? Then you're going to have to do it! Go ahead." Rock stared back at her with a hard, stern expression. He wasn't afraid of her threats. He knew it was all just an act and he had seen it one too many times before.

"Che..." Revy was caught off guard. Her usual bluff wasn't working. She began to grow flustered, but narrowed her eyes to mask her expression and leaned down closer until they were face to face. Their struggle turned into a staring contest as they remained that way for a solid two minutes.

Revy searched for any sign of weakness in Rock's expression, but he was as stern as a statue. Eventually, after accepting that Rock wasn't going to give in, Revy removed her cutlass from Rock's forehead and backed off. She turned around toward her shaded window to face away from him.

"Dumbass. You know better than to break into my apartment. Next time I might just blow your fucking cap off."

Rock's expression quickly hardened again. "That's bullshit Revy! I've come in here countless times before and you've never acted like this. What the hell is your problem?"

Revy didn't respond. She continued to stand facing the window with her cutlass in hand at her side. Rock let out a sigh. He knew at this rate, he wasn't going to get anywhere playing hard ball. Something was seriously bothering Revy and if he wanted to find out what, he would have to change his game up. Slowly, he walked up to her from behind and placed his arms around her waist. He felt her muscles stiffen under his touch, but she quickly relaxed.

"Revy..." he brought his chin to rest on her shoulder as he spoke into her ear, "please, tell me, what's bothering you?"

After a long pause, she answered. "How long have we been doing this Rock? About four or five months now?"

Rock calculated the time in his head. "That sounds about right, but I don't see how that-"

"And how many times have we slept together?"

Rock blushed. "Well, I haven't really been keeping score," he said smiling nervously.

"You said that Dutch and Benny have been talking about how I've been acting weird lately right? How long would you say they've been asking about it?"

Rock looked toward at the ceiling to think. "Uh...probably for only a couple months or so. Now that you bring it up, even Bao mentioned he had noticed you stopped ordering Bacardi for quite some time."

Revy was quiet for a moment. "And when was the last time you saw me with a cigarette Rock?"

"Um...probably about the same time we noticed you stopped drinking."

Revy remained silent. Rock continued to hold her close, seriously confused at her sudden change in behavior. She was too calm, when only a moment ago she was acting like a rabid dog.

Revy held up her cutlass to show him the blood mark. "Rock...this is what made me sick this morning, the smell of blood on my gun. And the other day when we were passing by the restaurants, the smell of cooking meat did the same thing."

Rock stared down at the cutlass and then back at Revy. Her expression was enough for him to finally fit the puzzle pieces together. Shocked, he loosened his grip on her and stumbled backward a bit.

"Revy, are you...are you really-?"

"Yes," she answered coldly before he could finish. Rock stared back at her in disbelief.

"How...how could...? I thought you said you couldn't-"

"I guess I was fucking wrong Rock," said Revy, her tone a bit sharper, but her expression quickly softened. "Fucking shame it's too late now. I've already considered abortion, but then I risk the word getting out. Even if I threaten to shoot their balls off, any doc in this city would sell that kind of info for a fortune in a fucking heartbeat."

Rock remained silent. He was too busy trying to process what he had just heard. He was also running though their options. Part of this was his responsibility, and he was not about to abandon Revy.

"Are you going to tell Dutch and Benny?" he asked calmly. Revy continued to stare at the floor. Rock could place a heavy bet that that probably meant no. He would tell she was at a loss, and frankly, so was he. He approached her again, but this time she surprised him by responding to his advances. She brought her lips up to meet his, which he gladly accepted and returned the favor.

"We can worry about that later though Rocky baby."

The two of them soon found themselves on top of Revy's bed, desperately trying to rip one another's clothes off. Rock paused and took the opportunity to look over Revy's toned, naked body and smiled. He didn't care if she was pregnant or not. He didn't care what might changes she might have to go through down the road, and before the day got started, he was going to prove to her how just how much she meant to him.

**Author's note:** It's a little out there, but I had this idea rattling around in my head for a while. We'll see where things go from here. I'm still on the fence about what I am going to do with this story, but it should be interesting. Hope at least some readers find it enjoyable.


	2. Chapter 2: Indecision

**Chapter 2: Indecision**

Revy felt the hot sun rays beat down on the exposed parts of her skin. She stared at the door handle of the Rip-Off Church. It was an annoyingly hot day, but that wasn't really why she was sweating. She reached out to open the large doors, but again hesitated. She wasn't sure why she was struggling with the decision. Eda was the closest thing she had to a friend, she just wasn't sure if the damn nun would be able to keep her mouth shut.

Revy let out a heavy sigh and pressed hard on the heavy doors. To her surprise, the chapel was empty. Figuring Eda, Rico, or Yolanda would return soon enough, she went ahead and stepped inside. It was quiet, but Revy was grateful. At least she would be able to have a moment to herself to catch up with her thoughts.

She paced along the rows of benches until she found one that suited her. She took her seat gradually, pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in her mouth. She brought out her trusty lighter and clicked it on, but just as she was about to light the end of her cigarette, something stopped her.

She opened her eyes and stared down at the lighter that was inches from her face. Something was preventing her from going any further, but she couldn't figure out what. It wasn't that the idea of a cigarette made her feel sick. This time she actually felt like she could handle a smoke without vomiting halfway through. No, something else was stopping her, indecision.

She had already gone weeks without lighting one up, and her cravings for nicotine had finally subsided, but Revy could care less about quitting for health motives. The real reason she wasn't sure if she wanted to pick the habit back up was because it made her think about what she was carrying around with her. She still hadn't settled on any plans about the matter, but that was why she had come to talk to Eda in the first place.

Revy put the lighter down and hung her head down in defeat. Only one quiet word managed to escape her lips.

"Shit."

Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, but before she could react, a large black figure blocked the sunlight that was steaming in and cast a shadow over her.

"This seems a strange place to find you miss Rebecca."

Revy's head shot up. She didn't even notice the cigarette fall from her mouth.

"Sister Yolanda…"

The church's leader wore her usual friendly expression under her eye patch and appeared as gentle as ever. Revy knew looks could be deceiving, and the old nun was no exception, but Revy respected her. She had always been particularly impressed with the way she handled business.

Yolanda took a seat next to Revy. "Something troubling you?"

Revy scoffed. "Fuck off old maid. It's none of your damn business."

"Oh? Then why have you found your way here I wonder? Could it be you have a newfound interest in God?"

Revy gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. "Yeah right. That cheap bastard hasn't done shit for me! I'm here to see Eda. So why don't you tell me where the fuck she is."

Another familiar voice entered the room. "Now, now Revy that's no way to speak to Sister Yolanda."

Revy stood up from the bench and shot Eda a scowl. Yolanda continued to smile as she stood up slowly.

"Well now, I think it's about time to go make some tea." She continued to wear her gentle smile as she passed Eda and wisely exited the chapel. Eda watched her go, then turned her attention back toward Revy. With her keen attention to detail, she had noticed the unused cigarette on the floor.

"What do you want Two-Hands? I'm all out of booze at the moment."

"Fuck you blonde bitch. I'm not here to get shit faced. I need to have a word with you."

Eda crossed her arms over her chest. "About what? I've got a lot of work to do"

Revy felt her throat tighten a bit. It wasn't going to be easy spilling the news to Eda.

"It's a personal matter."

Eda raised one eyebrow from under her pink sunglasses and popped the bubble she had formed with her gum. She continued to stare at Revy, partly attempting to read her expression, partly contemplating what news the gunslinger possibly had for her. After what seemed to Revy like an eternity, Eda answered.

"Fine. Let's talk over here."

The two of them say down at the table where they usually did their friendly drinking. Eda immediately reached under the table and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

"I thought you said you were out," said Revy dryly.

Eda chuckled. "There's always an extra around somewhere." She poured two glasses and handed one to Revy.

"Cheers!" Eda held her glass up and Revy matched it with a _clack_. Eda immediately knocked hers back, but Revy hesitated and put hers back down on the table. Eda shot her a confused look.

"What? Not to your liking?"

Revy looked down at her glass. "I didn't come to drink Eda."

Eda sat up. She had noticed the serious tone in Revy's voice. She waited patiently for the gunslinger to continue.

Revy remained quiet. She still wasn't sure what Eda would do, but what choice did she have.

"I've…run into a problem. You know how Rock and I have been…you know? Well, we haven't been using any…protection."

There was a pause and Eda chuckled a bit. "What? Let me guess. He give you an STD? Or is it the other way around?"

Revy shook her head as Eda poured herself another shot. "Worse."

Eda twirled the liquor around in the glass, still trying to figure it out. Then, as she started downing her second shot, she remembered the cigarette, and it hit her. No less than a second later, Revy's face, neck, and chest were all covered in whiskey and spit.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!?"

Revy jumped up out of the chair. "The whole fucking world doesn't need to know!"

Eda managed to regain her composure. "How did that even happen? I thought you said it wasn't possible."

Revy's temper subsided and she fell back down in the chair. "Shit if I know."

There was a moment of silence between them. Eda kept a strong poker face, but she _was_ concerned for her friend.

"So what do you plan to do?" she asked.

Revy remained slouched in her chair. She was out of ideas.

"I was hoping you had a good one."

"Have you considered abortion?"

"What do I look like? A fucking moron? No shit I've considered abortion."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Do _you_ know any doctors around here who would keep their mouth shut?"

Eda pondered her statement. "Point taken. What about a doctor outside of Roanapur?"

Revy sighed. "It would be hard to convince Dutch of traveling anywhere without a reason or a job."

"You haven't told Dutch and Benny? Does Rock know?"

"Of course Rock fucking knows. He's the only other one besides you."

Eda went silent again. She understood Revy's predicament. "Well Two-Hands, you seem to have found yourself between a rock and a hard place. No pun intended."

Revy scowled again. "Can't you at least try to take this seriously? I think that whiskey might already be going to your head."

Eda poured herself another shot. "Sorry Two-Hands, but there's not a lot I can do for you. Business has been really picking up around here and I've got my hands full. This is a situation you got yourself into. If you wait around long enough eventually Dutch will find out. Swallow your pride and ask him to send you off for a while and you can dump the kid in an orphanage or something and return to work later.

Revy flinched. Eda noticed her poor choice of words.

"Eh…sorry. I didn't meant to bring up past memories."

Revy put on an angry scowl and stood up. "Tch…forget about it you stupid whore." She turned to the door and started walking. Eda felt the sympathy in her begin to stir as she watched her go.

"Hey, feel free to drop by anytime Two-Hands. You have my word these conversations won't ever leave this table."

Revy stopped for a second, but then continued walking. The sound of the door echoed through the chapel as the church doors closed behind her.

**Author's note:** Based on the reviews, I guess you guys like this story. So I've decided to continue. We'll see where it goes.


	3. Chapter 3: Just a Simple Delivery

**Chapter 3: Just a Simple Delivery**

Dutch was in the control room of the PT boat. Everything was ready to go for their next job, except one member of the Lagoon Company was still missing.

"Benny, do you see Revy? It's almost time to leave."

Benny looked out over the hood of the boat and put his hand up to cover his focus from the blazing afternoon sun. "Don't see her yet Dutch."

Dutch grunted. "She said she had some errand to run at the church and would be back by two."

Benny shrugged and turned to look over at Rock, who was sitting on the bow with a cigarette in his mouth and his back pressed against the wall. The Japanese businessman was staring up at the blue sky and seemed to be lost in thought. Benny smiled and walked over towards him.

"Another day in paradise eh?" said Benny as he approached Rock.

Rock's focus was broken, and he turned his attention toward Benny. Benny looked down at Rock with a small smile. "At least we got an easy job today. Just a simple delivery."

Rock turned back to face the sky. "Yeah, I guess."

Benny's smile faded back to neutral. He decided to take a seat next to Rock.

"May I?" he asked, pointing to the cigarettes. Rock nodded and Benny eagerly lit one up. He took a puff and let it out gradually through his mouth and nostrils.

"Listen Rock, I wanted to ask you about Revy."

Rock's felt his heart skip a beat. He wondered if Benny had taken notice, but just to be safe he decided to play it cool.

"Sure." He took another puff.

Benny shifted his gaze to the boat's deck. "You know that conversation we had when we were carrying around that Romanian twin girl? When you wished you could have done something for her to give her a normal life, and I told you there was nothing you could do?"

Rock thought back to that moment. He had been almost desperate to save that little girl's life. "Yeah, I remember."

Benny paused for a minute, as if unsure how to continue. "I've always been curious...do you feel that way about Revy?"

Rock's nerves didn't calm any, but he was thankful Benny hadn't caught on to Revy's condition.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, for starters, you haven't given up on rebuilding her moral compass. It seems like every time we go on a job you always have some moral lesson you try to teach her. What's scary is I think you might be having an effect."

"Huh?" Rock turned to face Benny. This had sparked his interest.

"Dutch and I have both noticed it. Revy is a lot more...civilized than she was a couple of years ago, before she met you. She hardly yells or threatens any of us anymore, she's not as quick to anger as she used to be, and she even seems more emotionally stable. Hell, I would say she's even kind to you. Who knew that a guy like you would be able to tame a loose cannon like her, eh?"

Rock winced a little and looked up at the sky again. He remembered what Revy had told him one day in the marketplace after the incident in Japan.

_"You're always trying to blindly help people. Everything you sacrificed to help them turned to nothing and vanished, Rock. Nothing is this city's keyword."_

It did seem like no matter how many people he tried to help, his efforts were constantly wasted. Revy was always quick to remind him of that. In the end, he always somehow managed to fail. Whether it was the Romanian twins, the Yakuza's daughter, or even random people he met on the street, they all wound up dead eventually.

Benny cut Rock's memories short. "You may be comfortable in the twilight, but don't expect her to change too much Rock. She's not the type of girl who is going to walk down the aisle with you."

Rock chuckled a little and managed to crack a smile. He pictured how pissed Revy would be if he mentioned that to her, but her non-feminine attitude was just another trait he found attractive. That's what made Revy different and, well, Revy.

Benny finished his cigarette and stood up. He noticed Revy walking towards the boat.

"Well, speak of the devil," Benny said quietly to himself, but loud enough that Rock could pick it up. Rock stood up and turned around with him.

Revy smirked when she saw the two of them. She walked up to greet Rock. "Hey, ready to go, partner?"

* * *

Both Rock and Revy sat in the cabin as Dutch piloted the boat to the location of the pick-up. It was a long trip, and Revy was starting to grow bored.

"Geez, how far out do we have to go to meet these bastards?" she grumbled.

"Were getting close," answered Dutch. "These guys are from the Red Wa and apparently have a ship docked at one of the islands around here. They are shoving off to the mainland as soon as the package gets delivered."

"So what's in the briefcase Dutch?" asked Rock.

"We were given strict orders by Hotel Moscow not to open it. It's for the recipient's eyes only. We're getting paid well by them for the delivery, but Balalaika warned us specifically to not let our guard down. These guys like to take hostages for ransom. Although, she did make it very clear that she wasn't about to bail us out if we screw up and get into trouble. That's where you come in Revy."

Revy smiled and held up her cutlass. "You got it boss man! I've been dying for some action."

Revy didn't notice, but Rock stole a glance at her with concerned eyes.

* * *

A few hours later, the crew dispatched from the boat. They hadn't taken more than five steps before they were greeted with several armed men aiming AK-47s directly toward them. Revy didn't hesitate to whip out her cutlass'. Dutch's voice stopped her from pulling the trigger.

"Easy Revy, it's just a precaution on their part. We don't need extra ass holes before making the delivery."

Revy's eyes narrowed, but she lowered her gun. At that moment, a tall, somewhat well dressed Thiamese man stepped forward. He didn't seem to be the least bit intimidated.

"You must be Lagoon. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Chen. The Russians told us we'd be expecting you."

Rock stepped forward with the briefcase.

"We are Lagoon. I believe you have something in exchange for the payment?" he asked politely.

Chen gave a devilish smile. He motioned for one of his men to retrieve the payment. Then he pulled out and lit a cigar. Rock watched him patiently with a stern look. This man was cocky, and Rock was prepared for any tricks.

After a few minutes the two men returned, not with money, but a hostage. Rock couldn't tell who it was due to the black cloth covering the man's head. Chen ordered his men to hand over the hostage, and the two men shoved him over to Lagoon's side of the dock.

"Now, the payment," said Chen as he held out his hand. Rock handed him the briefcase carefully. He clicked it open. Inside were stacks of money lined in rows. Chen smiled with greed and shut the briefcase. "Make sure to let Balalaika know she made the right decision. It would have been a shame to execute this one."

Chen turned and walked away, but his men remained with their weapons pointed toward the Lagoon crew. Now that the deal was complete, Dutch knew it was time to leave. He motioned silently for his crew to get back onto the boat. Once they were all back aboard, Dutch started up the engines and they were off.

* * *

Once at sea, Dutch brought the boat to a stop and they unmasked the hostage, but were all surprised at the person tied up before them.

"Boris!?"

Rock quickly untied the Russian and removed the gagging cloth. Boris coughed a few times, and grabbed his side. He had been injured slightly in the ribs. Rock knelt down to help him, but he shooed the former Japanese businessman away. The rest of the Lagoon crew stood by waiting for answers.

"We had a deal with those bastards to deliver a shipment of heroin to one of our branches to sell for profit," explained Boris. "They got greedy and decided to take me for random. In my own stupidity, I underestimated them and went alone. Before I knew it I had walked right into their trap. Knowing who I work for, they threatened to kill me if the Captain refused to pay them off."

Rock turned to Dutch. "It's a little unusual for Ms. Balalaika to negotiate, especially with such an ordinary organization."

Dutch nodded, but remained silent.

* * *

When they got back to Roanapur, Dutch and Benny headed to the office while Rock and Revy transported Boris to Hotel Moscow's headquarters. They followed Boris inside to collect the payment. All three entered Balalaika's office.

"Ah Rock, Two-Hands, I see you made a successful delivery. I must say I appreciate having my second-in-command brought back to me."

Rock stepped forward to collect the payment. After one of Balalaika's men handed it to him, Revy spoke up.

"Hey Sis, what's the deal with you negotiating with those thugs anyway?"

Balalaika eyes narrowed and she let out a deep mischievous chuckle. "Who said I was negotiating? If an organization like theirs is foolish enough to kidnap one of my men and hold them for ransom, they must be well prepared to pay the price."

"Ms. Balalaika," Rock intervened, "Sergeant Boris could have easily gotten himself out of that situation. A soldier of his caliber does not fall for mediocre tricks. You must have ordered him to remain captive for another reason."

Balalaika shifted her gaze toward Rock. He found himself holding his breath as she looked upon him with a cold stare."Still as sharp as ever Rock. I knew there was a reason I haven't killed you, yet."

She turned to Revy. "You have a good man here Two-Hands. Better not let him go to waste."

Revy's expression quickly changed from surprised to aggressive. Teeth cringing, she approached Rock, grabbed him by the collar, and practically yanked him out of the room. Pleased with herself, Balalaika let out a heavy laugh as the two of them exited her office.

Boris approached Balalaika. "Captain, I have all the information you requested about the Red Wa group. They are not connected with Chang and were making threats on their own accord."

Balalaika took a deep puff from her cigar. Boris, waited for a response, but Balalaika remained silent.

"Captain, if you don't mind me asking, what did you give the Red Wa in exchange?"

Balalaika took another deep puff from her cigar.

* * *

Chen entered his cabin on the Red Wa's vessel and clicked open the briefcase he had received from Hotel Moscow. They were about to shove off for the mainland. Eager to see how much profit he had made from the hostage, he began taking the money out stack by stack, but quickly realized the bottom of the case was an illusion. At the bottom was a mirror, making it seem like there was more money in there then there really was. Added to that, all the bills under the top one were single digits. Angry, he quickly dumped the money out. Convinced there had to be more, he searched for a latch or a way to open the bottom portion of the briefcase. He found one. With greed overwhelming his better judgment, he quickly forced open the hatch.

* * *

Balalaika sat quietly in her office. Boris was still patiently waiting for an answer. Suddenly the phone rang. She picked it up.

"Ah, I see. It is done then." She hung the phone back up and leaned back in her chair."Sergeant, let's just say one boat won't be making it back to port."

**Author's note:** For the sake of the story, I chose some random criminal group in the South-China region. I didn't want this to be TOO focused on Rock & Revy so I threw an interesting scene in there just for entertainment. Hope you guys liked it.


	4. Chapter 4: Better Late than Never

**Chapter 4: Better Late than Never**

Rock and Revy sat silently in the car as they sped down the streets of Roanapur. It was nightfall, and Revy was gazing out at the street lit city as she rested her head on her arm. After a long day's work, she had returned to thinking about her prior predicament.

Rock was a bit uncomfortable with the silence. Usually he felt content when Revy was with him, but right now was different. He could tell she was unhappy and in a mental debate with herself about her condition. He couldn't help but constantly glance over at her.

Far from the threat she issued on the U-boat when they first worked together, over the years Rock managed to learn a little bit more about Revy with each passing day. He came to realize that the more frequently he brought up her background, the more information she revealed without retaliating at him. At first, it had been difficult for him to listen to, each story being worse than the last. He couldn't understand how things could have possibly gone so wrong for her, why not a single person had shown her the least bit of compassion. If she had just been given even half a chance at life, things might have turned out different. He had spent enough time with Revy to know that while she may have appeared cold and tough on the outside, he knew what is was that she truly craved deep down.

In the beginning, their relationship, or lack thereof, had been a sort of "friends with benefits" deal. But, as time progressed, Rock noticed a much deeper bond had developed between the two of them. He had grown to trust her skills as a gunman whenever things went south during a job, and in exchange, she seemed to trust him with the secrets of her past. He noticed that as time progressed, the human side of her surfaced more and more frequently.

He didn't know when it had happened, but at some point, he had developed feelings for her. Of course he didn't dare tell her that. He was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, it might push her over the edge and cause her to become mentally broken. He had tried showing her affection once, but it had confused her so badly that she became unstable, similar to the time with the Nazis a few years ago. The main problem was she simply didn't know how to live normal life. He wasn't aware of it, but to Revy, that's what Rock represented, normality.

He thought back to a moment when the two of them were feasting on noodle soap in the marketplace a while back. Revy had been unusually distant and hadn't said a word to him all day after their job was completed. While Rock wolfed down his dinner, he noticed she didn't even touch her bowl. She just sat there, wearing a thousand yard stare. Rock did his best to ignore it and continued eating, but he could never forget what she said next.

_"Rock, that U-boat mission, I never did thank you for saving my life."_

He had nearly choked to death on his food. It was so out of character for her that it had scared him shitless. In that moment, he had been sure his time had come and that she was finally about to dispose of him, but her guns were never drawn. Later, when he dropped her off at her apartment complex after a night of drinking at the Yellowflag, she motioned for him to follow her upstairs. Maybe it was the alcohol, but he didn't know why he agreed to follow her. When he woke up naked with her already missing the next morning, he was sure he was the luckiest son of a bitch to still be alive.

After his mind snapped back to the present, he glanced over at her once more.

"Hey, Revy?"

"Hmm?" she answered, but didn't face him. Her arm was still supporting her head as she stared out the window.

Rock paused. He wasn't sure if he wanted to bring it up, but he also wasn't sure if it could wait any longer to talk about it.

"What do you think of me?"

Revy stiffened. His question had caught her completely off guard. "What the fuck are you talking about Rock?"

Rock kept his focus on the road. "I've just been curious. You always keep going on about me standing in the twilight. You even beat me up that time after Fabiola talked to you during the Roberta incident. And you even pulled a gun on me when you thought I had slipped too far into Roanapur's darkness. There had to be a reason right?"

Revy shifted her focus to the floor. There was a long pause before she spoke.

"You're different, Rock," she answered, her voice mellow. "You have managed to stand in the twilight for so long and not get yourself killed. No one else in this city has been able to do that without getting their ass shot by now."

Rock waited for her to continue. But without a small push, he knew she wasn't going to budge.

"That still doesn't answer my question."

Revy scoffed, but continued to stare out the window. Her tone seemed to get more annoyed as she spoke. "It's like I said before Rock, I don't think you belong here. I still don't understand why you think you're some fucking white knight who is constantly trying to save people in this shit hole of a town."

She kicked her foot down in frustration. Her hormones were causing her emotions to stir again, and his questioning was seriously starting to piss her off. Luckily they were nearing her apartment where she knew she would be dropped off soon. However, the next thing that came out of Rock's mouth completely stunned her cold.

"Do...you want to be saved Revy?"

Revy clenched her fists and her muscles tightened. She felt her whole body shake considerably. Now, she was pissed. How dare he ask something like that? Did she look like a fucking child? She had built her own life from nothing, all on her own. She was one of the most feared women in Roanapur, and just her name alone was enough to cause a thief to piss his pants. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. In an instant, the barrel of her cutlass was digging into the side of his skull.

"Stop the car," she demanded. Rock obeyed and, Revy immediately got out and slammed the door behind her. She continued on to her apartment, which was only a couple of blocks away, alone and on foot. Rock sighed and parked on the side of the road. He stepped out and followed her, but at a slower pace, allowing her to put some distance between the two of them.

When he reached her apartment door he noticed that she had left it open slightly. At this point Rock knew her well enough to know that if she hadn't wanted him to follow her inside, she would have made it obvious. He proceeded in and shut the door behind him.

When he entered her bedroom he found her hunched at the edge of the bed dangling a full bottle of Bacardi. She had opened it, but had yet to take even a single sip.

"Rock," she said to him, her eyes still on the bottle of rum, "you think if I drank this whole thing right now, that that would solve all my fucking problems?"

Rock looked at her with concern. "Revy..."

"How am I supposed to fuckin do it Rock? I can't raise a brat in this shit. You know damn well that once the cocksuckers around here start noticing, it will be like sharks after blood."

Rock approached her quietly and sat down at her side. "You have been thinking about keeping it," he said. It was more of a statement than a question.

Revy stayed quiet. She was too ashamed to answer, but Rock could tell that was a yes. He understood what she meant, about raising a kid. Roanapur was no place for children, and Rock certainly did not want any child of his to grow up in a city like this. The two of them sat there silently for a long while, thinking.

"What if we got you out of Roanapur?" asked Rock, breaking the silence.

"Where would we fucking go Rock? Ask Dutch for a ride to the mainland and then catch a plane to fucking paradise?" She stared back at the bottle of Bacardi, sadly. "I don't belong anywhere else Rock. It may not be too late for you to rejoin the world of the living, but I've been dead for a long time. I was born into a shit life, and those memories don't just fade. I don't want to have a kid that will have to go through the same shit I did."

Rock's glance snapped back to Revy. He was a little surprised to have heard such a selfless statement come from her mouth.

Revy lifted up the bottle of Bacardi. "Guess it's fuckin better late than never." She lifted the bottle up and slowly brought it closer to her lips, but Rock noticed her slight hesitation. She was just about to take her first gulp when she felt his hand cover her own and force the bottle back down. She opened her eyes, ready to chew him out for stopping her, but froze, when she was met with the sternest expression she had ever seen him wear.

He didn't say a word. He didn't need to. He knew what decision she really wanted to make. He wasn't afraid of her fists or her cutlass. He was prepared to take whatever beating might come his way. He wanted her to make the choice she wanted to make deep down, regardless of her better judgment. But a beating didn't come, nor was a gun being jammed into his forehead. Instead, she just stared at him in utter shock and confusion. Her eyes locked on his.

They stayed that way for a long time, just the two of them staring. Rock, sensing he had the upper hand, felt his body slowly moving closer to hers. She still didn't move. The stern look on his face and his hand covering hers, still had her captivated. The truth was, she didn't know how to react. She was stunned and at a complete loss for words. Somehow, her go-to self defense mode had been disabled, and her body simply wouldn't respond despite her better judgment. Still, Rock moved in. His face came closer to hers until he inches away. Revy didn't know why, but her body seemed to respond to his motions automatically. He came closer and closer until his lips barely brushed up against hers, causing her to shudder slightly. Then, he stopped.

It hadn't been an accident. He had chosen to stop there on purpose. It was already too late to turn back. If he had crossed the line, he was already a dead man. Once she regained control, only one of two scenarios would come of this, and he desperately hoped it was the better one. All he had to do was wait for her to take that last step.

After what felt like an eternity, Rock suddenly felt a pair of warm, soft lips contact his own. Rock's eyes flew open. He was astonished. She wasn't kissing him aggressively this time, but gently, as if asking him for the first time to take the lead. He relaxed, and slowly brought his hand up to meet the soft skin under her cheek and placed one hand behind her back. It was an invitation to bring her closer to him. To his surprise, she didn't pull away. He opened his mouth slightly, hoping she would do the same. He eagerly allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth and deepened the kiss even more passionately. He unexpectedly felt her entire body go limp for a few seconds, but she quickly recovered. He smiled, satisfied that his actions were having such an effect on her.

Revy had no idea what was happening or why her body was reacting the way it was. Her mind was screaming at her to shoot Rock there and then, but her body ignored her and instead, melted at his touch. She didn't understand it, but he had somehow managed to totally immobilize her. Every motion he made was new and foreign to her. Every time he touched a part of her, she felt something more than just the physical feel. Somehow, he had reached in and found a part of her she didn't even know still existed. Somehow, he had managed to find her heart.

She felt the heavy bottle of Bacardi slowly slipping from her grasp. It was over. She had given in. Within seconds, she on top of him, returning the most passionate kiss she knew how to give him. She had never felt this way during any of the previous accounts the two of them had slept together. This time it felt different. Instead of being driven by pure lust, every fiber of her being yearned for passion. She spontaneously grabbed on to parts of his shirt, begging him to satisfy her craving for affection. She wanted more than just to jump straight into the act. She wanted him to show her the meaning behind it. She wanted to feel something emotionally. She wanted him to love her.

* * *

A couple of hours later, the two of them lay satisfied under Revy's bed sheets. Revy rested on her side, exhausted, with Rock's arm wrapped around her waist. He was sound asleep and cuddled up behind her. Despite the dried tear marks down her cheeks, she had a genuine smile on her face. Revy wasn't sure when she had started crying. Somehow, she hadn't been able to hold back any longer and let the waterworks flow somewhere right in the middle of it all, but Rock had been there for her every step of the way. While keeping up his steady pace, he had kissed her on her neck and under her jaw line just to comfort her. That act alone had finally caused her to break, but he understood that she hadn't been crying desperately out of pain or torment, but out of happiness. No one in her life had ever given her affection. No one had ever shown her what it felt like to be loved. He wanted to make it known to her that someone actually did give a damn about her, and it made him happy to know he could help her understand what that felt like. By the end, everything he had done had eventually built up to probably the most intense climax of her entire life.

Rock had successfully shown her what it felt like not to just have sex, but to make love, and it had easily been the best thing she ever had experienced. Revy sighed as she shut her eyes. She knew it wouldn't last forever. How could it? Nothing ever worked out for her in the end. Tomorrow when she woke up, everything would return to the way it was. Life would be shit, and she would have to face the real world with a smoking gun and a bad temper. Still, she was thankful. For the first time in her life, she could at least once get a taste of what it was like in the world of the living. She didn't even notice or care about the half empty bottle of Bacardi that had spilled on the floor as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**Author's note:** For those of you who kept begging me to add a sex scene, sorry to disappoint you here. I have nothing against it. I'm just pretty terrible at writing stuff like that, and it would just ruin everything if I tried. Also, sorry it took a while, but I had to rewrite this chapter quite a few times before I was finally happy with it. I wanted the emotions to come across clearly while not wanting it to sound too corny or dumb. Hopefully it wasn't too bad. :/


	5. Chapter 5: The Perfect Storm

**Chapter 5: The Perfect Storm**

With a few days of hard work past him, Rock wordlessly gulped down his pint of beer. Drinking after completing jobs always reminded him of his salary man life back in Japan, except being an employee of Lagoon Company and having Revy by his side made things lot more exciting. On this night, he and Revy had gone to the Yellowflag on their own since a tropical storm had blown into Roanapur. Dutch was busy working on the boat and Benny had a "chat" session planned with Jane. Not that Rock minded spending a little more alone time with Revy. She hadn't shred any tears since the night they spent together a couple of day ago, but her mood hadn't perked up a whole lot either. Rock had spent nearly half the night trying to cheer her up. In his slightly drunken state, he had even resorted to poking fun at her nickname, calling her "Becky" instead of Revy, just to see how embarrassed and bright red she would get. Revy, of course, immediately retaliated, threatening to beat the crap out of Rock if he didn't shut up, but as always her words went unheeded by the former Japanese businessman.

Bao was no stranger to the young couple's behavior toward one another. Of course he knew damn well that if anyone other than Rock had called Revy something like that, they would already be a mass heap of bullet holes on the floor. He eyed Revy questionably while drying the tumbler glasses. Much to his disappointment, she hadn't ordered a single shot of hard liquor in weeks. In fact, the only thing that he had poured for her all night had been a glass of plain water. Still, despite his frustration, he didn't dare question her or give her any crap about the water. Her drinking alone had funded most of the repairs on the bar over the years, so he could afford to let it slide. Besides, unlike the rest of the poor bastards around Roanapur who dared question the gunslinger, he valued his life.

Revy stared down at her glass profoundly. The thought of her predicament still rattled around in her head. She had made her decision, but now came the problem of how to go about it. Rock being Rock of course said he would support her every step of the way, but that didn't solve the rest of the problem. She still questioned the realism of raising a child in such a chaotic hell hole, what kind of target it would paint on her back. This also made her think about what kind of target it would paint on Rock's back. But most importantly, she questioned her ability to even know how to raise a child.

While Revy was preoccupied with her thoughts, a group of five well armed men, soaked to the bone, step into the bar. Like a predator had been spotted at the waterhole, the entire bar fell silent. Everyone's focused shifted to the group of strangers. Wind, rain, and occasional thunder from the outside storm were the only sounds that could be heard. With her fine-tuned instincts, Revy quickly picked up on the tension in the air. No one just walked into this bar with loaded guns and armed men without the intention of starting some shit. She could feel the leader's eyes burning into her. Her expression hardened, and she didn't move a muscle.

As the men started walking toward the counter, Revy counted five sets of footsteps heading toward her and Rock. One of the men, wearing a red shirt, approached her right side and slapped his hand down onto the counter to get her attention. She glanced at him in annoyance. He was a tall, Thai man, relatively well dressed, armed with a colt 45, and had a huge, cocky smile spread across his face.

"Well, well, well. You guys must be that Lagoon company we've been lookin' for," said the stranger. "After you killed our bro last week, it took us a while to find out you were stationed in Roanapur." He then looked down at Revy. "Never thought I'd find such fine tail though."

The other four men chuckled boastfully. Revy gritted her teeth and felt her grip stiffen around her glass. The man leaned in closer to her.

"We _did_ have business to take care of, but how about you come shake your fine ass for me instead."

Revy resisted the temptation to draw her cutlass. "Fuck off cocksucker, unless you want an extra asshole."

Her threat went unheeded. The stranger's smile just grew bigger.

"A bit feisty this one is," he shouted back at his men who laughed at his remark. He turned back to Revy. "You should be more careful what you say to people sugar tits," he taunted, leaning in even closer. "You never know what they may use against you."

Revy's eye twitched as she moved her hand into position over her gun. "I'm not going to warn you again, shit for brains, fuck off. Now."

Rock decided now was the time to chime in. "The group you actually would be looking for is the one who paid for us to deliver that bomb. We are just the messengers."

"Is that right?" The stranger just continued to smile. He turned back to Revy. "Regardless, I've found something a lot more interesting here. I have a feeling that you will do what I say _Two-Hands_, or I will let everyone here know the real reason there is water in your glass right now instead of liquor."

Revy's breath caught in her throat and her pupils grew wide. She knew he had called her by her gunslinger name to prove that he knew what he was talking about. Noticing her change in demeanor, the stranger leaned in even closer so that he was directly next to her ear. Rock grew tense. He didn't like where this was going. He tried to hear what the man was saying, but his voice was low enough that only Revy could hear.

"That's right hot ass, I know your deep, dark secret," he said sneering even more. "And I'll let you in on a little secret of my own. I absolutely _love_ to fuck women who are preg-"

The loud metallic sound of gunfire echoed throughout the bar. Blood splattered at the feet of the other four men as Revy's cutlass remained pointed toward the victim. Within seconds, the bar was alive. Confusion reigned and bullets flew from every direction as the various outlaws fired their weapons at the strangers and at one another in an attempt to retreat before the group of armed men could shoot back.

After snapping out of her initial shock, Revy realized this was the time to bail. She grabbed Rock by the collar and dragged him down behind the bulletproof counter for cover. Bao was already there, loading his shotgun.

"No way Revy! This was your fault this time. You get out from behind here and finish it or you'll be the one who pays to remodel this place again!"

Revy smiled and pulled out her other cutlass. "Relax Bao, none of these guys can shoot for shit." She stood up and took all four of the armed men within seconds. However, her smile faded when the bar doors opened and more Thai men entered. Right behind them, she noticed a high caliber machine gun loaded up on a 4x4 truck.

"Shit," cursed Revy as she continued to fire back at the enemy. "Rock we gotta run! They've got heavy artillery out front."

"What exactly do you suggest we do," he said sarcastically, keeping his head clear of bullets and debris.

"Sneak out the back way and get the car. I'll cover you!"

Rock nodded and dashed for the back door. Revy took out a few more guys as Rock made a run for it. Once he was clear, she ducked back under the bar to reload. Suddenly, she cried out as a sharp, excruciating pain pierced her left shoulder. She faced the direction of the culprit. Her eyes narrowed. It was the group's leader with his colt 45. He was covered in blood, but still had a sadistic smile on his face, like he knew he had beaten her even though he'd lost. Fighting the pain, Revy raised her cutlass, but before she had a chance to fire, Bao took the man out with his shotgun.

"You're losing your touch, Two-Hands," he said sternly.

"Shut up," Revy scoffed. Using her good arm, she took out three more men before making it out of the back of the bar.

Upon stepping outside, she was soaked from the rain within seconds. Rock was there with the car waiting for her. She jumped in.

"Revy, you're hurt."

"I'm fine Rock, just drive!""

The two of them took off immediately, but their getaway hadn't been subtle. All five vehicles, including the truck with the mounted machine gun, had seen them and followed in pursuit.

"Shit," cursed Revy, "how did that guy find out?"

"About what?" questioned Rock.

"He knew Rock. He knew I was pregnant. Shit, I'm going to fucking kill that nun bitch!" She slammed her fists down on the dashboard, but was quickly reminded of the pain in her shoulder. She looked back to see how close their pursuers were. Immediately she noticed that one of the men had manned the machine gun.

"Shit Rock, look out!"

Both Rock and Revy ducked as the machine gun took out their back window and damaged the top of the car. Revy leaned out the passenger window and returned fire with her cutlass. She managed to land a fatal hit on the machine gun's operator, causing his body to slide off the vehicle and collapse onto the road. She continued firing and took out two others before her rounds ran out. Satisfied, she brought her hand back in to clench her injured shoulder, which was still shooting pain all the way down her arm and up to her neck.

"Shit, this fucking hurts!" she exclaimed.

"Revy," interrupted Rock. "We have a problem."

Revy looked out ahead on the road and realized what he was looking at. Through the rain-covered windshield, she could make out a small group of vehicles and armed men blocking the road ahead.

"Shit, a road block."

"It's more of the Red Wa," added Rock. "We need to find an alternative route."

Rock couldn't help but feel that something was suspicious. How could the Red Wa have known he and Revy would retreat in this direction? Not having enough time to think it over, Rock took the only option they had and quickly turned right onto a street that veered off the main road.

"They plan to force us into a trap," he said firmly to Revy. "This road dead ends at the cargo shipping port, the same place you fought Roberta a few years ago."

"So we'll take them out one by one," said Revy. We can use the cargo crates as cover." She reloaded her cutlasses. "I may just have barely enough ammo to take all these guys out. Just stay behind me Rock, and keep your ass out of the line of fire."

When they reached the cargo bay, Rock slammed on the breaks. The car slid as it came to a screeching halt. Both Rock and Revy quickly got out and ran to take cover in the maze of large cargo crates. Above them, the storm was getting worse by the minute. Heavy rain fall was now accompanied by frequent lighting, followed by thunder. Revy decided it would be a good way to mask the sound of her cutlass to knock out the enemy's numbers without getting spotted.

Suddenly, she noticed, near the gate entrance, a phone mounted on the wall inside of a small, shack-like building.

"Hey Rock," she whispered, "If I can lure these guys closer to the water and distract them, you can use that phone to call Dutch and Benny."

Rock looked over at the small building. It had enough cover for him not to be noticed, and the storm would make it even more difficult for him to be spotted. He turned back to Revy and nodded in agreement. Soon enough, a fleet of Red Wa vehicles rolled up and stopped next to their car. Dozens of armed men stepped out and one mounted the machine gun on the truck. They spread out quickly with guns pointed forward.

Revy slipped back into the shadows. She turned to face Rock, but was surprised to find him staring back at her. It was obvious to her, he was clearly worried.

"Something doesn't feel right Revy," he whispered. "This seems too easy on our part, almost as if it was a set up."

"It's our only shot Rock. Quit being a pussy. We'll split up here. When I give the signal, you head for the phone."

Rock hesitated, but nodded nonetheless.

"Stay in cover and stay hidden. Ready, go."

The two of them quickly parted ways. Revy climbed up onto the cargo container as Rock slowly made his way into the shadows. Revy observed the effect the storm was having on the water. Dozens of white caps covered the ocean's surface, and the large waves violently crashed against the loading dock. Revy leaned around the red cargo container to take a peek at her potential target. Finally a flash of lightening overheard illuminated the group of five who were approaching her direction, followed by the rolling sound of thunder.

Using the sound as cover, Revy dashed out from behind her cover and took out all five men with both cutlasses and then quickly slid back into the shadows. She heard gunfire fire back in her general direction. The bullets ricocheted off the metal container, indicating that she had definitely caught their attention, but had not spotted her exact location. Unfortunately, climbing on top of the container and firing her cutlass had caused the pain to intensify in her injured shoulder. She clenched her arm and gritted her teeth to fight off the biting pain. She quickly glanced over at small building with the phone and was relieved so see Rock was making the call.

Once the gunfire died down, she decided to have another go. She relocated to a new position at least a good ten yards further away and opened fire, only taking three more guys out. Except this time, the truck's driver had repositioned the vehicle, causing the machine gun to take her off guard.

"Shit," she cursed. She fired her cutlass at the truck and again managed to take out the gunner, but this time she wasn't quick enough. One of the bullets had managed to dig into the flesh of her lower right leg, knocking her down. Her hands still grasping her cutlasses, she pushed against the ground in an attempt to get back up, but unfortunately her shoulder was too badly wounded, and she couldn't find the strength in just one arm and leg to stand. It was taking all her energy just to hold herself up.

The next thing she knew, the driver of the truck stepped out with an RPG launcher to finish the job. Smiling, he aimed it directly at her. Revy knew she was in trouble, but the sudden roar of multiple car engines drawing near caught everyone's attention. Revy narrowed her eyes to get a better look. It was a fleet of four black SUVs. The Red Wa immediately turned and aimed their guns toward the intruders. The vehicles stopped at a far distance. The unexpected sound of a Dragunov rifle echoed throughout the cargo port, and one member of the Red Wa group fell to the ground dead. The rest of the armed Thai men immediately opened fire, but their efforts were useless. Five more Dragunov rounds from multiple SUVs dropped five more men.

Revy couldn't believe it. _That clever bastard._ How the hell had Rock convinced Hotel Moscow to back them up?

The Thai man holding the RPG turned back to face Revy. Knowing his group had been defeated, he aimed the launcher at her once more. Revy's smirk faded.

"Ah fuck-"

* * *

Dutch drove like a madman through the drenched streets of Roanapur. He had just received the call from Balalaika that two of his co-workers had been seen being chased by the remaining members of the Red Wa group. Apparently, the Russian mafia had been hunting the remaining members down. Dutch wasn't sure what had Hotel Moscow so worked up about the Thai group, but it wasn't long after that that he had received the call from Rock.

When Dutch finally reached the docks, he could see Hotel Moscow had already starting taking out the remaining men. He noticed a man in the distance holding an RPG. When he stepped out of the car, a loud blast caught his attention. He turned toward the direction of the explosion. A large, orange fireball reflected off of his dark shades. He watched, stunned, as his Revy's lifeless body vanished into the raging ocean.

**Author's note:** It wasn't until after I wrote this chapter that I realized that Revy gets shot in the exact same spot by Roberta and winds up making a stand at the exact same place in the actual series. I simply chose this location for this scene because I liked how it fit into the storyline, but I guess it gives a weird, creepy sense of déjà vu. Who knows, maybe I did it on purpose. *queue evil laugh* In all seriousness though, let me know what you guys think.


	6. Chapter 6: Secrets

**Chapter 6: Secrets**

"Dammit!" cursed Rock as he punched the wall in the Lagoon office. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

Dutch and Benny both watched Rock in silence. It had been five days since the incident at the docks, and once the storm had finally subsided, Dutch hadn't wasted any time in organizing a search party to locate Revy's body. Unfortunately, after two solid days of searching, the crew had to accept that the strong current from the storm had already carried her too far.

They had thrown a small funeral, courtesy of Balalaika. Casting emotion aside, the Kapitan claimed it was the least she could do for getting Dutch's crew involved in her business. Visitors consisted of Hotel Moscow and the rest of the Lagoon crew. It hadn't been anything particularly special or expensive. They had sent off small float out to sea with a few flowers. No words were exchanged by anyone, just silence. Balalaika continued to puff on her cigar as her men fired off in solute. After the traditional display of gratitude, she turned to Dutch.

"It's a shame your company had to get caught up in all this Dutch."

"Yeah..." He stood there quietly, staring out over the ocean. "It's a destination we're all bound to get to. Still, I am gonna miss that one."

Balalaika glanced over at Rock. She could see the businessman's grief expression and the tears that had swelled up in his eyes. She sighed and took another long puff of her cigar before departing.

* * *

Rock had managed to keep his composure during the funeral. Even afterword, when they had all gotten back to the office, he sat on the couch quietly. The phone even rung a few times, but Dutch hadn't budged to answer it. He continued to learn against the wall while it rang, arms crossed, staring at the floor. Benny lounged in the office chair, focusing on the ceiling. They all stayed that way for a long while, until Rock had snapped.

"God dammit! Why the fuck was I the one who got out alive!?" Rock shouted as he neared the coffee table. Tears were welling up in his eyes and his hands were clenched into fists.

"Her time had finally come Rock. That's all there is to it." said Dutch, not lifting his focus from the floor. "It's bound to happen to all of us."

"Bullshit!" shouted Rock. "She died because I made a mistake. I knew it was a trap, but I continued to drive us into it. It was MY own damn fault!"

"Rock..."

"She didn't deserve this Dutch! She didn't deserve any of the things that fucking happened to her!"

He knocked over the coffee table in frustration, sending all its contents flying. Dutch scrambled to get a hold of his employee. Rock resisted, but Dutch was easily no match for him. From sheer strength, the ex-military man had him pinned in seconds.

"Dammit Rock, listen. Her time was finally up. Acting like this isn't going to bring her back."

Rock relaxed a little and Dutch released his grip, allowing Rock to sit up.

"Listen Rock, I know how close you two have gotten over the last few years, but you need to remember, this is Roanapur, the city of the walking dead. We are not invincible. Any of us could be killed at any time during any job, including you. You can't let your feelings dictate your behavior in this line of business. If you get attached to someone, you'd better be prepared to let them go when the time comes. Just be happy that Revy finally found peace."

Rock stared at the ground silently. Satisfied, Dutch stood up and headed toward the front door. He'd had just about enough for one day.

"And Rock, don't pick up a gun. She wouldn't want that for you," he said before heading out.

* * *

Balalaika intently scanned through the series of folders that had been brought to her desk. She had made short work of them before being interrupted by knocking on her door.

"Yes," she responded.

Boris entered her office. "Kapitan. Mr. Okajima from Lagoon wishes to speak with you."

Balalaika removed her cigar and leaned back in her chair. She let out a long puff of smoke. "Very well, send him in."

Rock entered her office. She could see the determined look on the young man's face.

"I have to say Rock, it is unusual to find you coming here alone."

Rock's eye twitched slightly, but he did his best to ignore the comment. "Ms. Balalaika, I was hoping you would share the reason you were gunning down the Red Wa group that night."

Balalaika chuckled. "You are certainly straight to the point. Unfortunately, I don't normally share such information with just anyone." She took another long puff of her cigar. "But I guess for you I'll make an exception.

She leaned forward and motioned for him to take a seat opposite of her. He obeyed. She spaced out the folders in front of him.

"This is the information we have gathered about seven of the leaders in the Red Wa organization. A few months ago, we discovered that they were stealing some of our drug shipments and taking away some of our business. They have managed to make quite an obnoxious dent in our income. We suspected they were connected with the Chinese Triad, but the evidence proved that was incorrect. From what we can determine, the Red Wa is trying to enlarge their organization and take hold of a position of power. We've taken out two of the leaders, but five still remain."

Rock looked down at the various files. He noticed that the two faces that were crossed off were the killings he had been involved with. He felt his blood begin to boil when he laid eyes on the picture of the man who had shot Revy. He stood up.

"Ms. Balalaika, I still refuse to pick up a gun, but if you need any assistance with this investigation, I will gladly help."

Balalaika leaned back in her chair once again. "Is that so?" she said, taking another puff of her cigar. "And what do you intend to do to help me?"

Rock's expression hardened and he started straight into the eyes of the war-hungry Russian.

"Whatever I can."

* * *

**Five days ago - in the North Pacific Ocean**

Revy drifted in and out of consciousness. She could hear voices. They were around her, but she couldn't understand them. They sounded like three women, and the third one sounded familiar. They seemed to be talking about her. As she slowly came to, she focused her mind on her body. She could feel herself breathing, and there was some sort of devise covering her nose and mouth. The pain from her injuries had dulled, and all she could feel was a softness surrounding her.

She awoke a few hours later upon sensation returning to her body. The pain had returned as well, and it was much more intense than just a gunshot wound. After regaining consciousness, she took in her surroundings. She was in a white hospital bed hooked up to vital monitors, but the room did not look like a hospital. There were no windows or televisions, multiple beds were lined next to hers, and the nurses were all dressed in military uniforms. Suddenly a voice caught her attention.

"Good, you're finally awake."

Revy turned toward the direction of the speaker. "EDA!?"

For once, Eda was dressed in appropriate attire, wearing a white collared shirt, without failing to reveal at least some cleavage, jeans, and of course, her favorite pink sunglasses. She seemed extremely calm. Revy immediately noticed Eda still had her sidearm.

"Fucking bitch! I'm gonna kill you!" She immediately lunged to grab it, but something kept her from moving. She looked down she noticed that her arms and hands had been retrained with leather straps.

Eda calmly put her book down and approached her. "Way to say thanks to someone who just saved your life."

"Fuck you!" shouted Revy, but was muffled under the oxygen mask. She struggled to get free, but her injuries were too painful. She scrunched her face up in pain. The nurse approached her with another dose of morphine and injected it quickly. After withdrawing the needle she removed Revy's oxygen mask.

Revy calmed down as the drug took its effect and her pain subsided. She turned her attention back to Eda.

"Where the fuck am I?" she asked harshly.

"The USS Nimitz, one of the finest aircraft carriers in the Navy," answered Eda. "We brought you here after that little cluster fuck in Roanapur."

Revy thought back to the moment back at the docks, just after she had been hit by the RPG. The blast had knocked her off of the cargo crate and into the stormy ocean. The last thing she remembered before slipping into unconscious was sinking down into the depths of the harbor.

"How the fuck did I get here?" asked Revy.

Eda crossed her arms and shoved her sunglasses back up with one finger. "In short," she explained, "I had a guy in scuba gear waiting in the harbor. Our original plan was to knock you out with a tranquilizer, but the blast from the RPG got to you first. We dragged your sorry ass onto a fisherman's boat and brought you here. You were in pretty bad shape. I'm honestly shocked that both of you made it out okay."

"Both?" Revy looked back at Eda strangely. Then, she looked down at her stomach and realized what Eda meant.

Eda smirked. "That's right Two Hands. The doctor said everything's fine in that area and the shock from the blast miraculously didn't cause any damage. You are one lucky bitch." There was a pause and her smile faded. Her tone became more serious.

"Listen Revy. The United States government has taken a strong interest in your skills as a gunman. They offered me quite a large sum of money to convince you to join the Central Intelligence Agency as a field agent."

Revy felt her anger rising. "Fuck you! Why should I trust you after you blabbed my secret for cold hard cash and almost got me killed!?"

"Relax, that was all a part of the plan."

"Huh?"

Eda's expression went hard. "I heard that some of the Red Wa group were looking for the Lagoon Company. I sold the information about you to the dumbest and cockiest of the group, for a hefty price of course, and told him he could find you at the Yellow Flag. Knowing your charming personality, I knew you would kill him once he made it known that he knew about your condition. Then, you and Rock would try to make an escape. I advised the Red Wa to create a blockade that would force you to head toward the docks, since it was a dead end. With the help of a fellow agent in the city, I was able to wait in the harbor on a fisherman's boat while he grabbed you from the water, and then we brought you to this carrier. The Red Wa never even knew we were there and all loose ends were eliminated by Hotel Moscow."

Revy sat quietly and lowered her gaze to the floor. "What's in it for me?"

"Full time government employment with full benefits and six-figure pay."

Revy scowled. "And if I refuse?"

Eda sighed. "You are still a criminal by law. If you refuse the deal you will be sent to prison for twenty five years at minimum."

Eda looked down at Revy. She could tell the gunslinger was acutely weighing the pros and cons of the decision.

"Revy," there was a hint of sympathy in the CIA agent's voice, "now that you know this information, you need to understand that you can never return to Roanapur or make contact with anyone from there ever again. If you do, the CIA will not hesitate to kill you, and neither will I."

She then reached over and picked up the book she had been reading and set it next to Revy.

"Yolanda told me to give this to you. She said it would help you, whatever that means."

She set the book next to Revy's legs. "Meet me up top when you've thought things over."

Eda turned and began heading toward the door. She took five steps, but stopped. She could feel Revy's puzzled expression on her.

"Just so you know, I made a killing getting your ass out of there," she sneered. Then, without looking back, she strolled out of the med bay.

Revy, still in confusion, watched her go. She lay back down on the soft pillow provided for her. Her head was still spinning with the information she had learned in such little time. She thought about her choices. She definitely didn't want to go back to prison, but she wondered if she was even capable of living a normal life with a regular job. She glanced down at her growing abdomen before lying back down again.

"Shit..." she swore under her breath. She had already made one decision. Why was this one so difficult? She shifted her focus down toward the book that had been left on her bed, wondering what Eda had meant when she said it had been from Yolanda. But when she realized what it was, she felt her body tense and her eyes grow wide.

It was a copy of the Bible.

**Author's note:** For anyone who freaked out when Revy got injected, from what I know, morphine does not have negative affects on the fetus in pregnant women. It's just a strong pain killer, but you're free to correct me if I'm wrong. Also, point out any grammar or spelling errors please.


	7. Chapter 7: Eight Years Later

**Chapter 7: Eight Years Later**

Gunfire echoed throughout the firing range. Even though she was used to the sound, Revy wore a set of noise-cancellers to protect her ears from the damaging resonance. Her appearance hadn't changed much over the years. She still wore her hair in the same ponytail, and she had managed to keep her body in peak physical shape, even in her early thirties. Her attire had changed, but only slightly. On this particular summer day she had chosen to wear a black shirt (to cover some of her tattoo) with short, but length-appropriate jean shorts, and a pair of Steve Madden Troopa Combat boots. Despite her new apparel, her gunman skills hadn't diminished over the years. After each shot was fired, she paid close attention to where it hit the target dummy, except it wasn't her doing the shooting.

Revy watched full of pride as her eight year old daughter Kate fired a Glock 19 downrange. Kate had the exact same hair color as Revy and liked to wear it in a ponytail the same way her mother did. Her facial features however looked more like Rock's with a mix of Revy, and she had Rock's eyes.

Revy had named her daughter Katherine Okajima, but called her Kate for short. She wasn't sure what had motivated her to use Rock's last name. Maybe she had just liked the way it sounded. Of course it had raised questions, especially from Kate. She had often asked Revy why her father wasn't there. Revy didn't like talking about it, and she had never mentioned Rock's name around Kate. After she got a bit older, Kate noticed her mother's sad expression every time she brought it up, so eventually she just stopped asking altogether.

Raising a kid hadn't been easy for Revy, especially in the beginning. It took every ounce of self control for her to be patient, but she had been determined. She wanted to give Kate the life she never had, and she desperately did not want to expose Kate to the demons of her past. Her hard work had paid off. Kate had grown a perfectly normal girl without emotional scarring. Revy was thankful for that. And of course, Kate took after Revy's tomboyish attitude.

Revy continued to observe Kate's firing skills. She was a good shot for such a young age, and it made Revy smirk with pride. Once she emptied her clip, Revy approached her.

"Here, try this," she said, handing Kate her cutlass.

Kate eyed the cutlass in awe. She had always wanted to shoot her mother's prized weapon, but had never been allowed.

"Just keep it forward and keep it steady," instructed Revy.

Kate fired the weapon, but missed her target. The kick from the gun had thrown her off. "This one kicks back too much," she complained.

"The kick means it's more powerful," explained Revy. "The more kick a gun has, the more damage it can cause." She knelt down next to her daughter to fix her stance. "Here, keep your arms extended like this." She held her own cutlass out to demonstrate.

"Like this?" asked Kate, mimicking her mother's stance.

"That's right. Now make sure to keep your feet firmly planted and use your legs to support your body."

Kate did as she was instructed, took aim at the cardboard dummy, and fired. It was direct hit.

"Woah...!" said Kate. She looked up at Revy full of pride and excitement. "Did you see that Mom!"

Revy smiled with pride at her daughter. "Yeah! That was a good shot!"

"I bet I can do it twice in a row. Watch!"

Revy chuckled to herself as Kate eagerly took aim and fired again. She missed, but only by inches. Her excitement turned to disappointment. She tried firing again and again, but wasn't able to hit the same spot as her first time. Her frustration increased. On her last bullet, she took aim, but was stopped. Revy gently pushed Kate's arm down. Kate looked up at her mother in confusion.

"You'll never hit anything if you fire out of blind rage," stated Revy. She took her own cutlass and with one arm, aimed and fired at the bullet-ridden dummy. She easily hit Kate's first shot dead on.

Kate had always been amazed with her mother's firing skills. In fact, it was why she had begged Revy to teach her how to shoot in the first place. Revy, was apprehensive at first, but figured it was better to teach her daughter to respect a weapon than to have her pick one up later and accidently hurt somebody, or herself.

"Remember, have respect for the gun. It's not a toy," said Revy. She stepped aside, allowing Kate to take her last shot. Kate took aim again, but this time, she took a deep breath, and then fired. Again, it was a direct hit.

Kate turned toward Revy with a cocky smirk on her face. Revy rolled her eyes, placed her hand on Kate's head, and scuffled up her hair.

"Hey..."said Kate, trying to act like she didn't like it when her mother did that.

"Come on brat, let's go get something to eat," said Revy.

* * *

"Five years," muttered Rock. "Five years since the trail went cold."

Rock was sitting at the Yellowflag drinking with Dutch and Benny. He had been searching for the last two remaining members of the Red Wa group for years without any luck. He had managed to track down and "kill" the other three, but the last two had eluded him.

Since then, the Lagoon Company had been conducting business as usual, except for one problem. Every time Dutch hired a fresh gunman, Rock wouldn't work with them. The other problem was that most of the people who took on the job were wanna-be gunman who always managed to get themselves killed. In the last eight years they had run through three new coworkers, and tonight was the night after their most recent counterpart had been killed.

Dutch had called him Billy, as in Billy the Kid. The man was half white, half Spaniard with a mustache. He talked like a cowboy and always acted like he was dying for his next gunfight. He wasn't a terrible shot, compared to the last two hires, and was actually useful when situations got a little hot. But every time they came back to office from a job where there was bloodshed, Dutch would always let out a heavy, unsatisfied sigh. He hadn't taken on any high risk jobs on purpose in fear that it might compromise the rest of his crew, but he never told Billy that. In fact, he hardly ever even said more than one sentence at a time to the man. At least Benny would socialize with Billy, even if he felt indifferent about him, but Rock wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.

Earlier that day, Dutch got a call from the Columbian Cartel. They needed a shipment of cocaine delivered to a buyer in Bangkok. It had seemed like an easy job until a rival organization had intercepted them mid-transport. They wanted to steal the shipment and sell it for themselves. It wasn't long before gunfire broke out. The Lagoon crew had been outnumbered, but with the help of his shotgun, Dutch had managed to keep them off the boat and get them to retreat. Billy hadn't been so lucky and had died from a stray bullet to the head.

Dutch took a shot of whisky and then turned to Rock. "Rock, we need to talk about this partnering problem. It's not doing well for business."

Rock's expression didn't change. He remained hardened and continued drinking his Bacardi. Dutch simply continued; his voice stern.

"It's been eight years Rock, more than enough time to move on."

Rock continued to stare at his glass. "It's more than that Dutch. Like you said, in this line of work, if you are going to get close to anyone, you better be prepared to lose them. I promised myself I wouldn't get close to anyone again. It's a lot easier to watch them die when you don't get to know them in the first place."

Dutch faced forward again and looked down at his glass. "Yes, I suppose things are easier that way," he said as Bao refilled his shot glass. "However," he took another shot of whisky, "if you choose to live like that, you might as well go back to Japan and continue your life as a salary man."

Rock turned to Dutch in annoyance with a scowl on his face. "I left that life because it didn't make me happy. Day in and day out I was a slave to authority. If it wasn't for Revy opening my eyes-"

He stopped, realizing what Dutch was trying to tell him. The reason he had been so happy working for the Lagoon Company had been because _she_ had been the one who opened his eyes. She had pushed him to the point where he had been forced to stand up to her, and that moment had changed him. He no longer feared oppression. After that, she had been the first person to treat him as an equal and as a partner, something no one is his former life ever did. He had gotten used to working alongside her and in time, had gotten close to her. Once that had all been taken from him, the thrill of the job never seemed to be the same, or enough.

After her "death", he had spent first three years tracking down the remaining Red Wa leaders, using Hotel Moscow as his source. Asking Balalaika if he could be of assistance had been the foot in the door to his first lead. Most of his jobs for her had been mediocre. She used him for translations during meetings, negotiations, interrogations, etc, but at the same time he had been using her to get closer to his objective. She had the clues, and he wanted answers.

After months of data collecting and putting the pieces together, he was finally able to determine the location of his first target, who just so happened to be working as a mole in the lower branches of the Chinese Triad. Chang, of course, had been unaware of this. Rock had asked to Benny to dig up the evidence and print up a few documents that proved someone was stealing drug money from the Chinese. Rock anonymously mailed the documents to Mr. Chang, who immediately turned his organization upside down to find the culprit. It didn't take more than a week. The Red Wa mole was tortured for information and killed. From this information, Chang learned the location of another one of the Red Wa leaders and set out to kill him as well. It wasn't long before Balalaika picked up on Chang's activity. Loving the idea of a "friendly" competition, she set forth immediately to join the hunt. Soon enough, the second remaining Red Wa leader was eliminated, and then a year after that, so was number three. Rock's plan had worked.

But then, the trail went cold. The last Red Wa leader wouldn't talk and died from the extensive amount of torture. There were still two leaders left, but the rest of the organization had gone underground and hadn't been heard from since. Both Chang and Balalaika didn't seem to care all that much, as long as the problem had been eliminated and their respective organizations were secure. After that, things in Roanapur had returned to normal, and it was then that Dutch had begun hiring the new recruits.

"Sorry Dutch," apologized Rock. "But there wasn't a whole lot I could do to help him at the time."

"Well, you're right I guess," said Dutch. "Those dumbasses got themselves killed after all. I'm just glad you and Benny didn't get shot. You're more valuable to have around than a class C gunman."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Then Rock spoke up.

"Hey Dutch," said Rock. "Do you still miss Revy? I mean, was she really just an employee to you?"

Dutch fiddled with his shot of whisky. "Rock," he said lifting up the shot. "She was the best damn gunman I ever had, and watching someone you practically helped raise get killed is a difficult memory to erase. So I would appreciate it if you quit bringing it up."

He downed his next shot of whisky. Rock shifted his focus back to his glass, which had just been refilled. He grabbed it and knocked it back as well.

* * *

Revy sat with Kate at a nearby outside burger joint. The two of them were enjoying freshly grilled hamburgers when a tall, Caucasian man approached them.

"Rick!" shouted Kate as she ran over to greet the man. Rick greeted Kate with a smile and picked her up to hold her in the air. He was a relatively strong man in his mid-thirties with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. Revy was used to seeing him in a suit and tie, but today he was in casual attire.

Kate immediately dragged him back to the table. She liked having Rick around. He was like an uncle to her. Kate had been shy at first when Rick had been assigned as Revy's partner, but it didn't take long before the little girl had warmed up to his warm, playful nature.

"Hey Rebecca," he said greeting Revy.

"Hey. Looks like your gunshot wound healed."

Rick took a seat between Revy and Kate. "Well, to be fair it was just a graze. It's still gonna leave a cool scar though." He gestured to the spot above his elbow. He leaned in a little closer to Revy. "Listen, I just wanted to say thanks for getting me out of the scrabble a couple of days ago."

Revy took a sip of her soda. "That's my job isn't it? To make sure both of us get out alive?"

Rick smiled. "Yeah, I guess so," he said rubbing the back of his head. He didn't mind Revy's distant nature. She did her job well, and that's all he really asked for.

Kate interrupted the conversation. "Did you bring Kyle today?" she asked eagerly.

Rick smiled back at her. "Not today sharpshooter. This week he's with his mom."

"Awww man," grumbled Kate as she focused her attention back on her lunch.

One of the reasons Kate liked when Rick showed up was because a lot of the time he brought along his nine year old son, Kyle, who had become close friends with Kate. Rick had gotten divorced from his wife four years ago and they shared custody of their son. When he introduced Kate to Kyle the two of them had become fast friends. Rick had also helped Revy out a great deal with her parenting skills over the years. Revy hadn't liked working with him at first, but after he had helped her out with Kate, she grew to respect him, much to her superiors' liking. She didn't have any feelings for the guy, but she didn't mind working with him.

Rick pulled out some money from his wallet. "You know Kate, I'm kind of hungry, but I don't know what's good here. You think you could help me out?" he conned, handing Kate the money.

Eager to please, Kate snatched the money from Revy and dashed over to the counter. Once she was gone, Rick turned his attention back to Revy.

"Actually, the reason I'm here is because I received a notice about our next assignment."

"Where are we headed?" asked Revy.

"Hong Kong, China. There's some criminal activity we have been told to investigate. They chose us because you look Chinese and it's easy for you to blend in, but I'll stick out like a sore thumb. The idea is to appear like we're on vacation, but walking around alone or with me could give you away. If you brought Kate along-"

"No. No fucking way," interrupted Revy.

"Listen, we are not heading into any dangerous territory," explained Rick. "Hong Kong is a big place, but with your street smarts you would be able to spot suspicious activity no problem. You could take Kate out and pretend to be sightseeing while you scope out the streets. You two would be practically invisible. I'll stay behind in the safe house until you find a lead. Then the guys in the house can keep an eye on Kate while we go in and wrap everything up. It should only take a week or two. Piece of cake."

Revy scowled in disappointment.

"Look, it's either this or that mission in Afganistan," stated Rick.

Revy placed a hand to her forehead. "Shit..."

* * *

Later that night, Revy put Kate to bed and waited for her to fall asleep. Since Kate was on summer vacation from school, it had been easy to convince her that they were going on "vacation". Of course Revy was opposed to the idea of bringing a kid with her on an assignment, especially her own daughter, but Kate wasn't the average eight year old. Thanks to her father's genes, she was exceptionally smart for her age. As a result, when Revy had to explain to her in a serious tone that because they would be in a foreign country, she had to do everything that she was told, Kate understood.

Revy went over to the fridge and poured herself a glass of straight Bacardi. She then headed over to the couch, flopped down, and switched on the TV. She wasn't interested in watching anything in particular, just something that she would make her tired. She lifted up the Bacardi and stared at it.

Eight years, she thought. It had been eight years since Eda had gotten her out of Roanapur, and still, whenever she drank a glass of Bacardi, the thoughts of Rock still surfaced. It had been difficult, to let her past go, but that hadn't changed her feelings for him. She knew he was probably still alive, still living out his days in Roanapur. She had kept her promise to Eda about not returning, but it wasn't because she was afraid of the fake nun bitch killing her. She was afraid of what her death had done to Rock. She was more afraid to find out what he had become.

Letting her thoughts pass, she downed the glass of Bacardi. Long gone were the days of heavy drinking. She had given that up for the sake of her daughter's happiness. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy a glass or two every now and then before bed.

Once she was tired enough, she made her way to her room and went through her nightly routine before climbing into bed. As her head hit the pillow, she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

_She was chasing somebody; that much was clear. She didn't know why or how, she couldn't even see who she was pursuing. She just knew she needed to catch them. The world around her was dark and her only focus was on the target in front of her. Suddenly, a male figure transpired into focus, and Revy's pace quickened. She then realized she was carrying her cutlass in hand. She took aim and fired. The bullet traveled in slow motion and hit its target. The man collapsed. When she finally caught up to see who it was, she froze in her tracks. There, lying in the pool of his own blood, was Rock. _

_She immediately knelt down and turned him over. He was still alive, but only barely. His bloodied hand was covering his chest where her bullet had pierced through. _

_"You fucking dumbass," she cursed at him. "What the fuck were you doing?"_

_She fought back the tears that threatened to cloud her vision. She opened her eyes and looked down at him. He was smiling. She could swear she felt his hand on her cheek. Then, he started to say something, but she couldn't hear him. As he started to slip away she began to panic. _

_"Rock! ROCK!" she yelled. It was too late. He died there in her arms. She kept screaming his name as he started to vanish into thin air._

_"ROCK!"_

Suddenly, she shot awake from her nightmare. Her brain immediately tried to make sense of her surroundings. She was back in her bedroom. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she was laced with a cold sweat. Realizing nothing had actually happened, Revy sighed with relief and ran her ringers through her bangs. She looked over at the clock.

3:15 AM

"Dammit," she swore silently. She took a deep breath and turned over to lay back down, but soon realized something was weighing down part of the other side of her bed. She opened her eyes. Sitting in front of her with a concerned expression, was her eight year old daughter.

"Mommy, who's Rock?"

**Author's note:** Aww Revy has a little girl. I thought about giving her a son, but having a daughter works better for the story, and I feel like it makes more of a personal connection with Revy. I also realize that if eight years have passed, Kate would actually be seven years old, not eight, but I want an eight year old for this story. On the flip side, I didn't want more than eight years in time to have passed because that would have been too long. So, Kate's eight and eight years have passed.

And yes I know the reality is that the CIA would never allow a child to be a part of a mission, but it works for the story and it speeds things up without having to dig too deep in character development. So again, just accept it. Overall, this chapter was really fun to write. I hope to hear some positive reviews!

*Fun-fact afterthought: Something demonicDRAMAqueen pointed out to me, the name Rick is literally one letter away from Rock (even on the keyboard). It's a funny coincidence, but I actually came up with the name because I was busy watching The Walking Dead while I wrote this. Didn't even realize what I had done. Oh well. Now you know.


End file.
